LSSL 5385 Textbook Reflections: Chapters 11-17
Chapter 11: Realistic Fiction
SUMMARY: Realistic fiction is considered contemporary and modern. It is believable, meaning the characters, settings, and events can occur in real life/world situations. There are certain criteria when evaluating realistic fiction. The first piece of criteria is checking if the story's elements are consistent with the real world today's children live in. Examples of this includes speech, behavior, and gender and cultural qualities; therefore, it is important for stereotypes to be avoided. The second evaluation piece for realistic fiction is checking to see if the theme happens naturally. It is also wise to keep in mind that there is usually more than one theme in these type of texts. Finally, the third piece of criteria is noticing how the story's topic/subject matters to young readers. During modern times, realistic fiction tends to tackle tougher topics (i.e. death loss, sex orientation, etc.).
REFLECTION: I have noticed that realistic fiction is definitely popular among my middle school students. I appreciate the fact that there are many books that help address serious and sensitive issues these young readers are going through. With reading, children are able to escape into a different world; however, realistic fiction allows them to see themselves within the characters and go through similar situations. These texts are believable and relatable, and they are usually for diverse readers. In addition to this, themes should appear natural, meaning they are lessons that the readers can easily apply to real life.
Chapter 12: Nonfiction
SUMMARY: There's really not one specific definition of nonfiction. Nonfiction does cover "real" information, but there are many types of texts that fall within this category (narrative, expository, biography, autobiography, and memoir). There are criteria when evaluating nonfiction for children. The first one is checking out the qualifications of the author. A way to do this is to research the author themselves, such as going through their website. Did they dedicate time to research the information they wrote about? Do they have a role in this field of study in some way? The second piece of criteria is verifying if the facts and information are accurate. If they are not, the students' learning process will actually become counterproductive. Then it is important to check out the scope and purpose of the nonfiction text. For example, if the title is specific enough and fully explained throughout, then by the end of the text, readers should feel a little more knowledgeable about the certain topic. Finally, noticing the roles visuals and other text features play is very important when evaluating nonfiction. Text features such as table of contents and indexes help readers narrow down their search of information. The visuals help elaborate on details and even break up the text into chunks, which makes the information not so overwhelming. In conclusion, students should be engaged while learning in the process.
REFLECTION: I really enjoyed this section about nonfiction, especially the criteria for evaluating it. Children are curious about all types of information, so I especially agree that collections need to be balanced so students can find texts about any subjects they desire to read about. I also agree that the facts need to be accurate and preferably from an author who has done plenty of research. The goal is for students to learn and not still be confused and feel like they haven't progressed in that subject's knowledge. Visuals and text features have been proven to be helpful to readers when learning about new information. Illustrations, paintings, and photographs help the readers see the information come to life right in front of them. In the nonfiction video, It's Perfectly Normal was mentioned as an excellent nonfiction book with detailed visuals. I recently just read this book, and yes, there are definitely detailed illustrations that can maybe make some people uncomfortable. However, they were accurate, and they would really be helpful for readers learning about sex, puberty, etc. Everybody goes through it, so it makes sense to actually show the real thing instead of holding back. Lastly, the suggested nonfiction questions for educators to ask students help provide a purpose for their reading.
Chapter 13: Fantasy/Science Fiction
SUMMARY: When physical reality is altered, a text is classified as fantasy fiction. Science fiction is not its own genre, but is instead a subgenre of fantasy. The following are examples of science fiction:
REFLECTION: After watching Dr. Perry's presentation over the different types of science fiction, I feel better informed about how the subgenre has many possibilities. They're all a form of fantasy and represent a world that does not fit the "ordinary" description. For example, it was interesting to learn the names "steampunk", "cyberpunk", and "biopunk" even though I already know there are books that incorporate computer technology, machines, and biological aspects. Overall, I believe science fiction texts are very popular to young readers because it is an escape from their realities. I think it would be a good idea to have a display of all these types of science fiction in a library and have a book (such as one from Dr. Perry's presentation) to represent each one. That way they have the opportunity to encounter different fantasy routes.
Chapter 14: Graphic Novels
SUMMARY: Graphic novels represent a novel and/or narrative in comic book format. This means that both text and illustrations help tell the story or information. They're similar to picture books, but they differ when they come to complexity. However, graphic novels are for readers of all ages (elementary, secondary, and adult). This means that they are appealing and are usually read for pleasure. They are not solely for struggling readers, which is often a misconception. They do, however, assist them with reading, along with ELLs and students with special needs and dyslexia. Also, graphic novels are not a genre of their own, for they are actually a form/format of literature. This means that graphic novels can be historical fiction, fantasy, nonfiction, etc. The following terms are the different parts of a page within a graphic novel:
REFLECTION: Ever since I started teaching middle school a few years ago, I noticed a lot of students checking out graphic novels from the school library. What really surprised me was that they were actually reading them, for many of them would complain about reading in general during instruction. I wasn't so familiar with graphic novels, so when I saw how they were popular around the students, I wasn't quite sure if they were beneficial for reading because they contained illustrations, which seemed elementary-like for me. However, I was proven wrong when I read Smile by Raina Telgemeier. I instantly fell in love with the colorful and vibrant illustrations, but I was really into the story's plot at the same time. I then understood the appeal. The illustrations simply helped tell the story, and heck, even made reading more pleasurable. It didn't seem like students were actually reading with these type of books, but they were, and I am glad I gave graphic novels a chance. I've been trying to add a few more graphic novels to my classroom library, and I would like to suggest to my team about having a selection of graphic novels we can provide our students when teaching elements of a story/narrative.
Chapter 15: Peck's Questions
SUMMARY: Robert Peck (1978) shares and lists ten response questions that can be asked about a novel. The questions can be seen as deep critical thinking questions. The following reasons help prove why these questions are beneficial to young readers when discussing a novel:
REFLECTION: As I was going through Richard Peck's questions, I realized that these types of questions would be perfect for my seventh graders' book club discussions. They are not the ordinary response questions, for they are ones that represent understanding the "other side" of things. One question that stuck out to me was number five: "How is the main character different from you?" I just realized that we encourage students to compare and contrast, but we typically ask questions to identify similarities. Students are still able to make connections to the characters, but they can actually self-identify their characteristics while understanding their story's character. I also like the tenth question, which asks the reader to study the novel's title and determine if it told the truth within the plot. I plan on using these in the future, even if they're just simple response journal prompts.
Chapter 16: Crowdsourced List of Middle School Authors
SUMMARY: This list is titled "Middle School (5-8 Grade) Authors (Responses)". Based off a previous response form, one may assume that the list is representing what students from this age group answered as to who their favorite authors are. It is also possible that this is a list of responses from educators naming excellent authors.
REFLECTION: At first, I was confused as to what this Google Sheets file was suppose to represent.
I saw familiar middle school authors listed, but I also saw how some of the authors were listed more than once. These authors' names were from some type of response form. I believe that educators can create a response form such as this one in order to identify popular interests and desired content among young readers. This response form can also represent different formats students prefer to read. I think I would like to use this list when selecting choices for my students' book clubs and/or class novels.
Chapter 17: We Need Diverse Books
SUMMARY: We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) is a nonprofit organization made up of children's book lovers that advocates and envisions for more published diverse texts that represent lives of all types of young readers. Their mission includes gathering and giving out more books of diverse characters to all children. This is important because students will grow and feel like they fit in and are a part of the community/society they live in. The diversity they aim to promote and include are LGBTQIA, people of color, gender diversity, people with disabilities, and ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities.
REFLECTION: I completely agree with this organization's initiative. We definitely need more diverse texts for the young readers of today's society. Even as an adult, it's nice when I read about characters that I can relate to because of ethnicity or social issues, so I'm sure it has an even greater impact on children. When they read about these diverse characters overcoming conflicts, the readers can gain motivation to tackle on their own challenges because they now know it is possible. Also, we want children to feel they belong no matter what and not feel isolated. They should embrace themselves and feel comfortable in their skin. So, I will also participate in the following hashtag: #WeNeedDiverseBooks
SUMMARY: Realistic fiction is considered contemporary and modern. It is believable, meaning the characters, settings, and events can occur in real life/world situations. There are certain criteria when evaluating realistic fiction. The first piece of criteria is checking if the story's elements are consistent with the real world today's children live in. Examples of this includes speech, behavior, and gender and cultural qualities; therefore, it is important for stereotypes to be avoided. The second evaluation piece for realistic fiction is checking to see if the theme happens naturally. It is also wise to keep in mind that there is usually more than one theme in these type of texts. Finally, the third piece of criteria is noticing how the story's topic/subject matters to young readers. During modern times, realistic fiction tends to tackle tougher topics (i.e. death loss, sex orientation, etc.).
REFLECTION: I have noticed that realistic fiction is definitely popular among my middle school students. I appreciate the fact that there are many books that help address serious and sensitive issues these young readers are going through. With reading, children are able to escape into a different world; however, realistic fiction allows them to see themselves within the characters and go through similar situations. These texts are believable and relatable, and they are usually for diverse readers. In addition to this, themes should appear natural, meaning they are lessons that the readers can easily apply to real life.
Chapter 12: Nonfiction
SUMMARY: There's really not one specific definition of nonfiction. Nonfiction does cover "real" information, but there are many types of texts that fall within this category (narrative, expository, biography, autobiography, and memoir). There are criteria when evaluating nonfiction for children. The first one is checking out the qualifications of the author. A way to do this is to research the author themselves, such as going through their website. Did they dedicate time to research the information they wrote about? Do they have a role in this field of study in some way? The second piece of criteria is verifying if the facts and information are accurate. If they are not, the students' learning process will actually become counterproductive. Then it is important to check out the scope and purpose of the nonfiction text. For example, if the title is specific enough and fully explained throughout, then by the end of the text, readers should feel a little more knowledgeable about the certain topic. Finally, noticing the roles visuals and other text features play is very important when evaluating nonfiction. Text features such as table of contents and indexes help readers narrow down their search of information. The visuals help elaborate on details and even break up the text into chunks, which makes the information not so overwhelming. In conclusion, students should be engaged while learning in the process.
REFLECTION: I really enjoyed this section about nonfiction, especially the criteria for evaluating it. Children are curious about all types of information, so I especially agree that collections need to be balanced so students can find texts about any subjects they desire to read about. I also agree that the facts need to be accurate and preferably from an author who has done plenty of research. The goal is for students to learn and not still be confused and feel like they haven't progressed in that subject's knowledge. Visuals and text features have been proven to be helpful to readers when learning about new information. Illustrations, paintings, and photographs help the readers see the information come to life right in front of them. In the nonfiction video, It's Perfectly Normal was mentioned as an excellent nonfiction book with detailed visuals. I recently just read this book, and yes, there are definitely detailed illustrations that can maybe make some people uncomfortable. However, they were accurate, and they would really be helpful for readers learning about sex, puberty, etc. Everybody goes through it, so it makes sense to actually show the real thing instead of holding back. Lastly, the suggested nonfiction questions for educators to ask students help provide a purpose for their reading.
Chapter 13: Fantasy/Science Fiction
SUMMARY: When physical reality is altered, a text is classified as fantasy fiction. Science fiction is not its own genre, but is instead a subgenre of fantasy. The following are examples of science fiction:
- Apocalyptic/Post Apocalyptic
- Steampunk, Cyberpunk, Biopunk
- Dystopia
- Extra Sensory Perception
- Robots/Androids/Cyborgs/Artificial Intelligence
- Space/Aliens/Extra-Terrestrial
- Time Travel/Parallel Universe
- Virtual Reality/Gaming
Note: Yes, science fiction is considered fantasy, but not all fantasy texts are considered science fiction. There are different criteria when evaluating science fiction and fantasy for young readers. The first one is checking out if the characters are still believable even though their world consists of things we probably won't see in our reality. The next one is recognizing that there should still be rules within the story's fantasy world. The third criteria piece is whether or not the author helps readers with disbelief. The final criteria element is that the stories should consist of universal themes.
REFLECTION: After watching Dr. Perry's presentation over the different types of science fiction, I feel better informed about how the subgenre has many possibilities. They're all a form of fantasy and represent a world that does not fit the "ordinary" description. For example, it was interesting to learn the names "steampunk", "cyberpunk", and "biopunk" even though I already know there are books that incorporate computer technology, machines, and biological aspects. Overall, I believe science fiction texts are very popular to young readers because it is an escape from their realities. I think it would be a good idea to have a display of all these types of science fiction in a library and have a book (such as one from Dr. Perry's presentation) to represent each one. That way they have the opportunity to encounter different fantasy routes.
Chapter 14: Graphic Novels
SUMMARY: Graphic novels represent a novel and/or narrative in comic book format. This means that both text and illustrations help tell the story or information. They're similar to picture books, but they differ when they come to complexity. However, graphic novels are for readers of all ages (elementary, secondary, and adult). This means that they are appealing and are usually read for pleasure. They are not solely for struggling readers, which is often a misconception. They do, however, assist them with reading, along with ELLs and students with special needs and dyslexia. Also, graphic novels are not a genre of their own, for they are actually a form/format of literature. This means that graphic novels can be historical fiction, fantasy, nonfiction, etc. The following terms are the different parts of a page within a graphic novel:
- Panels: Squares and/or rectangles representing a scene
- Gutters: Space between panels
- Dialog Balloons: Conversation or other forms of communication between characters
- Thought Balloons: Contains characters' thoughts
- Captions: Description of a scene or a character
- Sound Effects: Onomatopoeia
REFLECTION: Ever since I started teaching middle school a few years ago, I noticed a lot of students checking out graphic novels from the school library. What really surprised me was that they were actually reading them, for many of them would complain about reading in general during instruction. I wasn't so familiar with graphic novels, so when I saw how they were popular around the students, I wasn't quite sure if they were beneficial for reading because they contained illustrations, which seemed elementary-like for me. However, I was proven wrong when I read Smile by Raina Telgemeier. I instantly fell in love with the colorful and vibrant illustrations, but I was really into the story's plot at the same time. I then understood the appeal. The illustrations simply helped tell the story, and heck, even made reading more pleasurable. It didn't seem like students were actually reading with these type of books, but they were, and I am glad I gave graphic novels a chance. I've been trying to add a few more graphic novels to my classroom library, and I would like to suggest to my team about having a selection of graphic novels we can provide our students when teaching elements of a story/narrative.
Chapter 15: Peck's Questions
SUMMARY: Robert Peck (1978) shares and lists ten response questions that can be asked about a novel. The questions can be seen as deep critical thinking questions. The following reasons help prove why these questions are beneficial to young readers when discussing a novel:
- Understanding stereotypes and gender roles
- Identifying author's purpose of choosing the setting and/or characters
- Consideration of tone
- Pointing out characters vital to plot
- Finding differences between self and characters
- Recognizing effectiveness of plot sequence and chapters
- Making personal connections through anecdotes
- Hooking readers from the beginning
- Understanding titles as symbolic or literal
REFLECTION: As I was going through Richard Peck's questions, I realized that these types of questions would be perfect for my seventh graders' book club discussions. They are not the ordinary response questions, for they are ones that represent understanding the "other side" of things. One question that stuck out to me was number five: "How is the main character different from you?" I just realized that we encourage students to compare and contrast, but we typically ask questions to identify similarities. Students are still able to make connections to the characters, but they can actually self-identify their characteristics while understanding their story's character. I also like the tenth question, which asks the reader to study the novel's title and determine if it told the truth within the plot. I plan on using these in the future, even if they're just simple response journal prompts.
Chapter 16: Crowdsourced List of Middle School Authors
SUMMARY: This list is titled "Middle School (5-8 Grade) Authors (Responses)". Based off a previous response form, one may assume that the list is representing what students from this age group answered as to who their favorite authors are. It is also possible that this is a list of responses from educators naming excellent authors.
REFLECTION: At first, I was confused as to what this Google Sheets file was suppose to represent.
I saw familiar middle school authors listed, but I also saw how some of the authors were listed more than once. These authors' names were from some type of response form. I believe that educators can create a response form such as this one in order to identify popular interests and desired content among young readers. This response form can also represent different formats students prefer to read. I think I would like to use this list when selecting choices for my students' book clubs and/or class novels.
Chapter 17: We Need Diverse Books
SUMMARY: We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) is a nonprofit organization made up of children's book lovers that advocates and envisions for more published diverse texts that represent lives of all types of young readers. Their mission includes gathering and giving out more books of diverse characters to all children. This is important because students will grow and feel like they fit in and are a part of the community/society they live in. The diversity they aim to promote and include are LGBTQIA, people of color, gender diversity, people with disabilities, and ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities.
REFLECTION: I completely agree with this organization's initiative. We definitely need more diverse texts for the young readers of today's society. Even as an adult, it's nice when I read about characters that I can relate to because of ethnicity or social issues, so I'm sure it has an even greater impact on children. When they read about these diverse characters overcoming conflicts, the readers can gain motivation to tackle on their own challenges because they now know it is possible. Also, we want children to feel they belong no matter what and not feel isolated. They should embrace themselves and feel comfortable in their skin. So, I will also participate in the following hashtag: #WeNeedDiverseBooks
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